It seems wherever we go and whatever we do, we’re fussing with cables and chargers. Whether it’s while we’re traveling, sleeping or moving throughout the day, we’re constantly trying to keep our devices charged. Our phones, watches, iPads, cameras, eReaders, and computers, always seem to need attention.
Cables have their own special annoyances: they slip behind the desk or nightable, they get tangled, and occasionally they just fail. Some look the same, but are very different internally and don’t behave the way we expect them to. And when traveling it’s important to take every conceivable type we might need.
We were once promised relief with the elimination of unique power bricks and connectors. So we got a half dozen different connector types and assorted cables.
The cable and charging mess has inspired various inventions and solutions to help. Here are few of them that I’m familiar with or have used that just might make your cable life a little easier:
CordBrick
CordBrick, a solution for dropped cords, was created by serial entrepreneur Nick Barrett. Made of silicone and weighted with steel, it keeps your cords from falling off a table. You can also use it to wrap a few cords for traveling.
It gathers several cord ends together with a weighted brick of silicone. It can also be used to wrap four cords for travel. $15 from their website.
Universal Cable
Nomad has designed a cable to charge almost any device. Its Universal Cable with Kevlar can convert to various connection types: a Micro USB, USB-C, USB-A, and Lightning. It’s a particularly durable cord made from double-braided Kevlar with metal connector housings. While there are many similar cables available on Amazon, this one has proved to be reliable and is very well made. $36 for a 1.5 meter length at Nomad.
Peak Design Travel Tech Case
When I’m on a trip of more than a couple of days, this is the bag I take organized with cables, chargers, adapters, and other small items. It’s designed so you can see all of the items at once and keep the cables in separate pockets so they don’t get tangled. The bag is very well constructed and has about two dozen pockets of all sizes and shapes. $60 from Peak Design.
Anker 735 Charger (GaNPrime 65W)
This advanced charger will charge up to three of your devices at once and is capable of charging most notebook computers. That means you can leave your single-device chargers at home. It intelligently distributes power to the different ports, depending how many devices are connected, providing a maximum of 65 watts with a single device connected. The charger has folding prongs, is very small and highly efficient. About $39 at Anker.com.
HiRise 3 Deluxe
The 12 South Hi-Rise is a 3-in-1 wireless charger for your night table. It will simultanoeusly charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods or a second phone all at once. It uses a single cord so it reduces the clutter on your night stand or desk. There are many devices in this category, but I’ve found some don’t comply with Apple’s requirements, making the charging slower and intermittent. This product also allows you to use your phone in landscape mode where the latest OS 17 turns the display into a bedside clock. Costs $99.